The Journey To Kilts….. How Just Kilt Me came about..
By professioin I am a publicist, something I have been doing since 1992, in the mid 80’s I was in 2 different New Wave Bands, in 1990 on a trip to the UK I sat next to who turned out to be a publicist named Shirley McLean. She is the one who got me started on the PR journey after a conversation via telephone when I was in the UK.. She had given me her number on the pklane and told me to call. She asked what did I do and told her I worked for Wendys.. She asked if I would like to Scout talent for EMI UK she could set me up,. Once I got back to Toledo OH we chatted again (early in the am when it was cheap for a internatonal call) and set me up with EMI UK. I went around Toledo, Chicago and Detroit listenig to bands, submitting reports to EMI UK, all while living in OHIO before the age of the internet and did all right at it, After about 2 years of doing it I was tired of it and asked her how do I become a publicist, she immmediately took me under her wing and I workd with her on a variety of international projects, a few movies as her assistant never really do anything on my own; she also introduced to me PR legend Lynn Franks via the phone, Lynn was great and she asssinged me to work wiht a lady name Tilly. Once again from Toledo OH before the age of the interent I workd on projects with Tilly and still Shirley, early long distance phone calls, ticking away on the typwriter, going to the post office, libary to look things up, fax machines etc. all while still working at Wendys and later down the road other jobs.
I finally went on my own in 1995 doing PR and varous part time jobs it wasn’t unitl 2001 I went full time in PR. Any one who tells you being self employed is easy is lying to you . It has been a good journey that I still love and continue to do.
When it comes to kilts and my love for them that is all tied in with my family histroy I alway knew one famly branch came from Wales and I loved everything British, the Royals, British things like food and tv, phrases and writing. I always thought kitls were cool and loved the bagpipes. After years and years of family research, filling in the tree and getting my DNA done did things really get intereting,. While my “British” percent wasn’t as big as I thought my overall NW European and French/German side was a lot more (keep in mind the Current Royal family is basically German) For quick reference Broadly NW European streachs from Ireland, Icleand, The British Isles, France, Breton, Germany, and the Norse Countries, it just means your dna is too interetwined to pin down. Doing my tree I discoved that the majoriity of my ancestors in the UK and that stems from Wales, Scotland and England, were of: Norman, French, Flemish, Danish, Saxon and Norse origin. During a long period of Brisith history both Willam I of England and David I of Scotland were offering lands to those who would help protect the land, a huge number of Scottish clans are of those origin and of course they all married into various local populations. My Welsh and Irish side are scattred with those gentic infulencs too but have deep historical roots of the Brythonic inhabitants too. See DNA is good to do but one has to do the trees also as it explains in better detail how ancestry comes about. Then you have to keep in mind the whole Identical Ancestor Point which is basically if you have ONE European Ancestor if you go back 800 years you are descendant from 80 percent of the population; the further you go back the more people you are related to but the less people there are in the world; Lines cross over and cousins marry cousins have been the norm on your tree you will proably discover your 2 or 3 times great grandparents were 3 or 4th cousins and maybe did not know it. In a nutshell there is a connection between everyone which leads in to wear what ever tartan you like because chances are one way or another you are releated to that particualr clan.
I may have gone to far on how I got into kilts but to know the background and the ancestal ties is important to know as it fuels my love and passion for them
Kilts are great there is a connection to history, to ancestors and heritage, it is something tangible
So you know I am a publicist and have numerous clients including fashion,, ah ha the kilt thing comes into play, I starrted with one kilt the Royal Stewart a few years later I got another then another then went on a kilt craze and got 5 which seems lke a lot unitl you realise how many I have at the moment. Since I had kilts and knew of family connections I wanted to promote a kilt maker after numerous attempts to be a brand amabssodar for a kilt company to reaching out to various kilt makers about team ups and promotions that were not successful the idea started to flurish I should just do this myself.
So I did… i started to formulate my passion first thing I had to do was to find a supplier that would work with me and I wouldn’t have to go broke doing this., After lots of research and digging into suppliers and kilt makers I was fortunate to find a actual Tartan Weaving Mill that were also kilt makers with master tailors as a added bonus they have been in the Tartan buisness for about 60 years, the owners father started the buisness and he was trained in Scotland at one of the oldest Tartan Weaving MIlls in the country,
The next step was coming up wth a name .. there was only just one Just Kilt Me! It’s a fantastic play on words that brings my passion right to the point. Finding a very talented web designer that wasn’t going to cost me an arm and a leg one local lad who I had chatted to occassionaly at the local Kroger by the name of Lem, was doing samples for Quorn (a great Vegetarian product btw). Long story short I was telling him what I was doing, he said he did websites and would love to and not charge me a lot… So there ya go. I enlisted my graphic designer who I have been working with for over a decade to get a logo.. He also created a number of promo designs to put on social media. Then a few months later I launched it all!
It’s a slow but steady build, as we Brit’s say “slow and steady wins the race!” Kilts are a cerain Niche’ but I intend to change that to be every day wear for guys and gals! All of our kilts are custome made to order (unlike so many of them out there) they are durable and will last decades so it is sustainable not throw away fashion. They look good on everyone, and comfortable to wear along with being good for all types of weather. Most importanly they are affordable made of an excellent Poly Viscoe blend (all natural and sustainable).
In this day when people leave house wearing sweat pants aka joggers, pj bottoms, bedroom slippers to go to class, work, the store (now mind you there is always an exception to the rule like you’re sick, going to hospial etc) genarally looking like a bunch of slobs it is time we start to look our best again. Growing up Mum wouldn’t let me leave the hosue looking sloppy, that is something everyone should keep in mind everything they step out that door. Are you pants droopy? Really Sweat Pants? Slippers? NO.. it is time to Simply Look Better, it is time to Kilt UP!
Justkiltme.com carries over 70 tartan choices, many are rare and hard to find that others simply do not carry, that is one advantage to being partners with a Tartan Weavinng Mill. Kilts, Utility Kilts, Tartan Trousers, Billie Kilts aka the Mini Skirt, Vests, Argyll and the more formal Prince Charlie Jackets that are available in Tweed or Barathea Wool Blend which are all Custom Made To Measurements. Additionally cusstom made Tartan bow ties and traditional ties, and pocket squares are avaialbe as add on’s . Any Taratan can be put on a Sporran too as an add on to orders as well.
One special Taran that is being woven now is the exclusive to Justkiltme.com and designed by the proprietor The Otter Tartan known in Gaelic as Breacan Dobhran. Designed in defference to Otters in Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Norse and Celitc mytholgy and clan/family heraldry and traditions. In particualr the Legend of the Ottter King and the 7 Black Otters. Along with of course in love of the playful, cleaver Otters theirselves. The Colours of Black, Brown, White and Blues represent the affetionatly known Dyfrgi (Water Dogs) along with the Seas, Rivers and Lochs where they live and play. A Portion of the proceeds from this Exclusive Tartan will go to beneifit Otter Conservation Chairites.
Hopefull this gives you some insight to the journey of the kilt, why and how I got involved in this
Kilt UP!
Allen, Baron of Otter.. Lord Gwyddelwern
Kilts.. Heritage..Culture 